HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj's Vicharan
24 Aug 2010, Bhavnagar, India

Swamishri blesses devotees during the changing of janoi ceremony on Raksha Bandhan

Swamishri in the mandir pradakshina

New assembly hall

Devotees in the assembly hall engaged in Swamishri's puja darshan

Devotees in the assembly hall engaged in Swamishri's puja darshan

Devotees in the assembly hall engaged in Swamishri's puja darshan

Swamishri inaugurates the new assembly hall by untying the nadachhadi

Swamishri engaged in his morning puja

Swamishri engaged in his morning puja

Swamishri blesses the Rakshabandhan festival assembly

Swamishri blesses the Rakshabandhan festival assembly

Swamishri blesses the Rakshabandhan festival assembly

Raksha Bandhan - 24 August 2010 (VS 2066 ) Tuesday, Bhavnagar
Prior to Swamishri’s daily morning puja darshan Viveksagar Swami discoursed on the Kathopanishad.
On arriving for his morning puja Swamishri inaugurated the newly constructed assembly hall by untying a giant nadachhadi. Youths sang bhajans related to the festival in Swamishri’s puja. Sanctified rakhis were distributed to all the devotees on entering the hall. At the end of Swamishri’s puja the ritual mantras for the ceremony were sung after which the devotees tied the rakhis on each others wrists.Finally Swamishri blessed the assembly, “Raksha Bandhan means that we are bound to God. God too is bound to us by our devotion to him. Dada Khachar had bhakti and that was why he sacrificed his wealth, family and home in the service of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. God does not come to take, but to give. He has given us this human body – eyes, ears, nose, hands and legs… Today on Raksha Bandhan, sustain the bonds of agna and upasana. One should abstain from addictions and from watching television and movies.”